1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle chassis, and more particularly to a trailer chassis providing a substantial amount of storage space in a robust vehicular frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
A recreational vehicle (hereinafter referred to as RV) or RV trailer is basically a mobile home widely used for camping, road trips, vacations or weekend outings. It provides all the essential amenities of a household such as living room space, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom areas. The convenience of these amenities is unparalleled, but due to the mobile nature of RVs, the chassis must be sufficiently robust to handle the stresses of the road, especially in RV trailers. The chassis must also be strong enough to support the weight of the trailer housing and all the hardware and furniture contained therein.
A typical RV or travel trailer (also referred to as fifth wheel travel trailer due to the king pin hitch assembly) includes a chassis frame constructed with steel I-beams. Cross support I-beams are further supported by an array of cross members oriented to distribute the loads amongst the frame members much like a building or bridge truss. While this provides a strong foundation for the wheel axles and the subsequent trailer housing, the resultant chassis does not provide much usable space within the chassis below the walk-on floor. As a result, much of the essential components such as water and waste tanks and propane gas tanks must be stowed within and amongst the living quarters or components of the trailer, which limits maximal use of space and constrains the design layout of the trailer interior. Safety concerns also govern the layout because the weight must be distributed within the trailer so as to minimize or prevent the travel trailer from unhitching while traveling down the road.
Manufacturers of fifth wheel travel trailers also face economic concerns in relation to shipping and handling of the trailers to overseas markets. Most of these trailers cannot be packed into a shipping container so they are relegated to deck cargo, which is a more expensive option due, in part, to the special handling required. Deck freight can cost more than twice the amount for container freight. In light of the above, it would be a benefit in the art to provide a robust vehicular frame capable of maximizing stowage space and minimize shipping costs.
Thus, a trailer chassis solving the aforementioned problems is desired.